Telecommunications is the process of controlling communication message transmission and reception, typically through the utilization of telephony devices and systems, wherein the communications occur over both short and long distances. Telemarketing is a subset of telecommunications. It involves the use of telephony devices and systems which may include the utilization of one or more processing systems as interactive mediums for promotion and/or promotion response.
Telemarketing systems used in promotion response provide inbound telecommunication services. This includes, for example, receiving orders, inquires, donation pledges, survey responses and customer complaints. Telemarketing systems used in outbound promotion provide outbound telecommunication services. This includes, for example, placing orders, customer follow-up requests, customer service and fund raising.
Conventional outbound telemarketing systems rely upon large calling centers and large numbers of outbound telemarketing agents to place calls. Processing system technologies have been integrated into many call centers enabling the telemarketing agents to work with a plurality of scripts developed for particular customers or customer types. The term script refers to a textual outline of the intended (reasonably anticipated) conversation between the caller and the party called with branched responses to enable the caller to acquire the desired information from the party called. The amount or level of scripting is typically application or implementation dependent.
Processing system technologies also are typically used to store a variety of calling lists from which the next call to be placed is selected. Many outbound calling centers have host based database processing systems which are utilized by the telemarketers. Many of these systems are known as Private Branch Exchange telecommunication systems ("PBX's"). These host systems typically operate to select the next party to call from one of the calling lists for a given calling campaign, allow scripting to be linked to the calling campaign, and instruct a PBX to out-dial the call.
The telecommunications industry, and the telemarketing industry in particular, is currently faced with a number of problems. In particular, real estate costs in many locales have become prohibitively high. Hardworking, talented and well trained workforces are difficult to assemble, and, even when assembled, suffer from high turnover rates which contribute to the exhaustion of the local labor pool. Of those who are available to work, many, such as the elderly and college students, require part-time employment and/or work that is close to home. They are, in many cases, unable to work out of traditional large central telecommunication centers.
One conventional solution to the labor problem incorporates a front-end voice-response system as part of the outbound calling technology. Such a system initiates the outbound call and interacts with the called party via the touch-tone pad of the called party's telephone. The called party is queried, and asked to hold while transferred to a telemarketing agent. Although this solution addresses the problem of reducing the number of local agents needed, it creates other problems in that it is obtrusive, often inconveniencing and/or annoying the called party who is forced to hold for a telemarketing agent. Such an approach has been criticized, especially by regulators and consumers, and its use often results in the transfer of abandoned calls to the telemarketing agents. A further problem associated with this approach is call load balancing among agents and across applications, which may become difficult to manage. It has also been proposed to allow telemarketing agents to work out of their homes by supplying the agents with calling lists. Although this solution avoids a number of the issues set forth above, the telemarketing companies no longer control their calling lists, an invaluable asset, and lack a reasonable means for supervising their calling agents.